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Native American Student Wins High School Merit Award

ICTMN Staff

5/25/11

Meena Richardson, of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe, was recently awarded the Washington State Indian Education Association (WSIEA) High School Merit Award and an ACT 6 scholarship. The WSIEA award was presented to her by David Syth, Tacoma Public Schools Indian Education coordinator, at Tacoma’s School of the Arts.

Meena has a 4.0 GPA and wrote the following essay:

Ever since I was able to correspond college to higher education, I was bound to my goals of pursuing a higher level of learning, understanding, integrating, service and positive change. I have committed myself to servicing my communities, diversity of all forms and commitment; the commitment to my family, culture, faith, communities and supporters. I have now realized that I have reached a climax in my life to develop and build a strong foundation for my future and set an example for my family and younger generations behind me. Through these supporters, loved ones, educators and communities, I have accomplished one of the greatest achievements of my life thus far. I have been awarded the ACT 6, full-tuition, full-need urban leadership scholarship to Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. I plan to pursue a pre-medicine (biology) major and further my education in pediatrics and child development.

This scholarship will immerse me in trainings that will enable me to adapt and integrate my leadership skills and personality into the college atmosphere and to aspire to do great things in this ever-changing world. This amazing award will lead me to great things, and this is because it has been given to me by the grace of God. I have grown individually and spiritually through these past few years in my life. Attempting to ground myself in uncomfortable places and grow and learn from unbelievable experiences (good and bad); but in the end, it has been worth it and has given me all the more reason to never think too small.

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